Illuminating device



Patented Sept. 1929 MORRIS KIBSCHSTEIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORKILLUMINATING DEVICE Application led August 10, 1928. Serial No. 298,786.

This-,invention relates toilluminating devices and more particularly toimproved electric illuminating sets of the ty e known as Christmas tree,or decorative lig ting outfits.

It has become highly desirable to provide for the ready connection ofone or more standard Christmas tree lighting outfits in parallel to asingle electrical source to aliord more or less illumination, or toornamentally illuminate large 'objects such as Christmas trees and thelike. It is the object of this invention to provide an improved unitarydevice of the character described of simple construction and cheapmanufacture, which is provided with means for readily connecting anindelinite series of said devices in parallel across a single electricpower supply to make a lflexible unit for illuminating objects requiringgreater or lesser amount of` illumination.

In accordance with the present invention,

a Christmas tree outfit having a plug for connecting with the electricalsource issol con: structed that 'it may receive another unit which neednot have any plug for direct attachment to the electrical supply, butcan be readily connected in parallel to said first unit and which has inaddition means for receivingsimilar plugless units so that any number ofunits may be connected in parallel and all 3 0 .supplied through thesingle plug on the irst outfit;

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described, which shall be simple in construction,comparatively cheap to manufacture, and practical and ellicient to ahigh degree. l

Other. objects of this invention `will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in vthe features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescopey of application will be indicated in the following claims. In' theaccompanyin' drawing, in which is shown one of the varlouspossibleillustra# tive embodiments of this invention, l y Fig. 1 is a plan viewof a Christmas tree outlit embodying the invention;

mas tree outfits connected 1n parallel;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modifiedstructure; an

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a modified construction.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 2 an electricdecorative outlit A connected in parallel to an outfit B.

The outfit A comprises a number of the usual electric lamp sockets 10adapted to receive lamps 10-b here shown as connected in series throughconductors 11 in the manner well known in the art. consist of a set ofeight sockets, the end sockets being provided with lead Wires connectedto the terminals of an attachment plug which may be connected to theusual 110-120 volt lighting circuit. t

The outfit A is shown to comprise eight sockets 10, connected to a usualattachment glug 12 by lead wires 13, 14. Where it is esired toilluminate larger objects or to obtain more illumination, the outfit Bmay be connected across the lead wires 13, 14, in

parallel. To this end, each ofsaid lead wires 13,14, has interposedtherein an outlet socket 15 adapted to receive a plug member 16 formingthe terminals of outfit B. Said outfit B also comprises eight electriclamp sockets 10a connected to each other by conductors 11". The outertwo of said ei ht sockets`10 of Such outfits usually said outfit B areconnecte by wires 17, 17,

16 to said sockets 15.

The socket 15 may comprise a substantially cylindrical body portion 20of insulatingmaterial, preferably finished and shaped to resemble thesockets'lO. Said body 20 is provided with a central longitudinal opening21 extending therethru. Sald opening 21 is widened at the mouth or plugreceiving end of the body 20 to form a shoulder 22. A c lindrical hollowmetallic member 23 is fitte into' said opening 21 and comprises a flangeportion 24 seated on said shoulder 22, and a bottom end wall 25 havingan 'opening'26 therein. Said body 20 may be recessed adjacent theopening 21 to form a channel 27 between the metallic member 23 and thebody 20. Said member 23 in each of sockets 15 .forms the currentcarrying part interposed in the leads 13, 14. To make the connection,the lead 13 may be splitto provide two wire ends, one of which may beinserted in opening 26 and solderedvto the end wall 25, the other ofwhich may be extended into channel 27 and soldered to said member 23 asat 28. It will be understood that socket 15 is similarly interposed inlead 14, and thatl sockets 15a at each end of outlet B are likewiseconnected to conductors 17, 18 and 17, 19 respectively. 'Each of plugmembers 16 comprises a cylindrical insulating body 29 ofU-shapedcross-section having an opening 30 in the bottom wall 29 thereof. Ashort cylindrical metallic post 31 may be inserted thru said opening 30.Said post 31 is formed within a flange 32 at the upper end thereofseated on said'bottom wall 29 and fixedv to the body 29. The lowerportion of said post 29 is preferably split longitudinally ordinaryscrew plug. e

as at 33 to provide a resilient end portion 34. The conductor wire 18may be connected to said post 31 as by soldering the end 35 of said wireto flange 32 of said post 31.

It will now be obvious that to connect outf it B in parallel and outfitA, it is merely necessary to insert the resilient end portions 34 oflu'g members 16 intol the openings 35 of holow members 23 of sockets 15.

Any number of outfits B ma be added, the plugs 16 of each added outfitein attached to sockets laof the preceding out t.

A consumer need bu only one set A and then purchase standar unit B fromtime to time as required to add to the series which may be connectedthru plug 12 to a single outlet socket. The sets B may very easily andsimply be attached or detached since each of said sets includes a pairof plugs 16 for connecting to a precedlng outfit and a air of` sockets-15 for receiving the plugso a suc'- ceeding outfit.

Flg. 3 shows a modified construction of the complementary sockets andplugs for connecting the sets to one another. In this construction thesockets 36 interposed in lead 13a com rises an ordinary electric lampsocket simi ar to socket 10,- and adapted to receive a lamp when notused for connecting to another set. The plug 37 connected to the convductor 18 comprises a metallic screw threaded shell member 38 receivablein socket 36. Said plug 37 is made somewhat similar to an However, thethreaded member 38 is provi d with a metallic bottom wall 39. Whenattached to the socket v36, said vbottom wal1'39 forms an electricalconnection between the central contact and the shell. of said socket,thus completing the circuit thru said socket and lamps in the remainingsockr eight when the modified plugs and socket 37, 36 are used. A

Fig. 4 diagrammatically showsa modified construction illustrating anadaptation of the invention to decorative sets comprising a number ofsockets connected in parallel. Outfit A show n in Fig. 4 comprises eightusual sockets 110b connected in parallel across leads 13", 14b attachedto an attachment plug 12". Sockets 15b similar to socket 15 may beinterposed in said leads 13,`14. Outfit B comprises sockets 10cconnected in parallel Aacross leads 18, 19C. Similar sockets 15e may be4interposed in said leads 18?, 19C, which terminate in single terminalplugs 16c similar to plugs 16. Said plugs 16c may be received in socketsl5b o f outfit A for dctachably connecting outfit B to said outfit A.Additional outfits similar to outfit B may be added by plugging tosockets 15 as will now be understood.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is Welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use. l

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might bemade in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense. Having thus described my invention, I claim as .new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A unitary Christmas tree lightingset comprising a set of electrically connected lamp sockets, anattachment plug connected with the socket at each` end of said set, andcomplementary sockets interposed in the circuit between each of saidplugs and the adj acent socket adapted to receive similar attach mentplugs from a second lighting set.

2. A unitary Christmas tree lighting set comprisin be inserte to apoweroutlet, a plurality of lamps connected together in series, lead wiresconnecting said lamps with the circuit terminals of'said attachmentplug, and sockets formed to receive single terminal plugs interposed insaid lead wires.

3. In an electric illuminating device of the character described, incombination, a Christmas tree set comprising an attachment plug adaptedto be attached to an electric power outlet, a plurality of electriclamps connected in series, lead wires connecting said lamps with 'theterminals ofsaid attachment plug, sockets adapted to receivecomplementary plugs interposed in said lead Wires and a second Christmastree set comprising a plurality of-lamps connected in series andcomplementary plugs at eachend of said set attached to said sockets.

llO

an attachment plug adapted tol 4. In an electric illuminating device ofthe character described, in combination, a Christmas tree set comprisingan attachment ,plug adapted to be attached to an electric power outlet,a plurality-of electric lamps connected iny series, lead wires connectinsaid lamp with the terminals of said attacment plug, sockets adapted toreceive complementary plugs interposed in said lead wires, a secondChristmas tree set comprising a plurality of lamps connected in seriesand com lementary plugs at each end of said set attac ed tc saidsockets, and similar sockets adapted to re-Y ceive` complementary plugsfrom another 1`5 Christmas tree set interposed in said second setbetween said plugs and the end lamps of said second set.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

MORRIS KIRSCHSTEIN.

